Hellenic Club to Host Greek Presidential Guard to Commemorate ANZAC Day

Released by special permission of the President of Greece, 12 Evzones will pay tribute to the ANZACS and reflect on their nation's involvement in the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign.

The general public are invited to pay their respects and witness the Evzones at the following events:

• Dawn service at Bondi Beach at 6:00am on Wednesday 25 April

• Dawn service at Campsie RSL at 6:15am on Wednesday 25 April

• Anzac Day march in the Sydney CBD at 12:00pm on Wednesday 25 April

• Guard of Honour at Martin Place Cenotaph at 12:00pm on Friday 27 April and 1:00pm on Saturday 28 April

• Anzac Day march from North Bondi RSL to Bondi Pavilion at 2:00pm on Sunday 29 April

The Hellenic Club will also host the ANZACS of Greece invite-only annual luncheon at its spectacular CBD event space, Beta Bar and Gallery Sydney on Tuesday 24 April.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Greek Australians to honour the ANZACS and for all Australians to discover more on the historical significance of the ANZACS in Greece,” Arthur Balayannis, CEO of the Hellenic Club said.

“The Evzones have made a tremendous impact with their participation in ANZAC Day events around Sydney over the last two years, and we look forward to hosting them in Sydney for the third consecutive year.”

The visit comes under the auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney, and is proudly supported by the Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete and The Greek Campaign, the Australasian Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), and other benefactors.

The Hellenic Club brings the Greek Presidential Guard to Sydney

Released by special permission of the President of Greece, the Evzones will visit Adelaide and Sydney to take part in the official ANZAC Day ceremonies, celebrating the role of the soldiers of Greece and Crete, often known as the ‘forgotten ANZACs’.

The Evzones will join the Allied Forces for Sydney's Anzac Day March, and form a Guard of Honour at the Martin Place Cenotaph from 1-2pm on April 28 and 29.

The Evzones’ arrival in Sydney on April 24 will follow a historic four-day visit to Adelaide, organised by the Foundation for Hellenic Studies and supported by the South Australian Government. Official events in Adelaide will include a march to the city’s War Memorial and a pre-game flag-raising ceremony at Adelaide Oval for the AFL Anzac Day round between Port Adelaide and Carlton.

The defense of Greece by the ANZACs and other Commonwealth forces is recognised by historians as one of the major contributions to the Second World War, significantly delaying the Nazis’ invasion of Russia.

For the final programme of the Evzones' visit to Sydney, see below.

The Hellenic Club honours Greek-Australian NRL greats

Hosted at the Club's newly-established Beta Bar & Gallery, above the acclaimed Alpha Restaurant, the Club celebrated the achievements of NRL leaders Nick Politis AM, Chairman of the Sydney Roosters, DrGeorge Peponis OAM, former Australian captain and Chairman of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and Nick Pappas AM, Chairman of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Respected former player and NRL identity, Phil Gould AM chatted with the guests of honour about their successes in the NRL, while guests dined on a menu prepared by Alpha’s renowned Executive Chef, Peter Conistis, and a selection of Greek wines.

Net proceeds from all ticket sales were donated to The Hellenic Initiative, a global not-for-profit organisation that works to assist Greece through crisis relief, entrepeneurship and economic development.

Beta Launches On Level One Above Alpha

Beta, a bar and gallery, will boast a menu of authentic Greek dishes with an added dash of Peter Conistis' signature flair, while the drinks menu will feature inventive Greek twists on classic cocktails.

Drawing on the elegant Victorian architecture of 238 Castlereagh Street, the bar will create a modern installation within the classic space with raw and natural interiors complemented with contemporary furniture and design.

Evzones Presidential Guard Visit Highlights

Visiting Australia from April 16 to April 27, the Evzones commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Crete with appearances at key memorials and landmarks across Sydney.

Commencing with a visit to ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park on the 16th, the Evzones participated in a wreath laying ceremony at Martin Place Cenotaph in the presence of the Governor of New South Wales and representatives from the Australian armed forces and Greek community organisations.

On April 17, they visited the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Redfern followed by a demonstration at St Basil's Homes in Lakemba on April 18. A visit to the Estia Foundation in Gladesville on April 19 was proceeded by an open forum discussion in Greek on current challenges for Greece in South East Europe alongside Hellenic Club members at the Hellenic Club Sydney. On April 24 the Evzones visited All Saints Belmore church.

The guards participated in the ANZAC Day march with the Greek RSL Sub-Branch, including a wreath laying ceremony at Martin Place Cenotaph.

Sydneysiders were also able to observe the Evzones perfmorming a changing of the guard ceremony from April 20-22.

On their final day in Sydney, the Evzones delighted local school children with their attendance at Sans Souci, Bexley and Earlwood public schools.

For press coverage of the Evzones visit, see our Press page.

UPDATE: Greek Presidential Guard visit Sydney

Six soldiers of the Greek Presidential Guard are visiting Sydney for the first time to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete. As part of the visit, the 'Evzones' will take part in a ceremony at the Martin Place Cenotaph on the 20th, 21st and 22nd April.

The Hellenic Club will host six soldiers of the Greek Presidential Guard in Sydney for the first time to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete. The ‘Evzones’ guards will arrive in Sydney on the 14th April in order to take part in an official Battle of Crete ceremony on the 16th April at the Martin Place Cenotaph. They will also take part in the traditional ANZAC Day parade on the 25th April.

The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, one of the key conflicts of the Second World War, has been chosen by the Australian Government as one of the significant anniversaries to be commemorated during the ANZAC centenary period.

Graham Athaunaseris, Chairman of the Cultural Committee of the Hellenic Club, says: ‘ We are thrilled to host the representatives of the Greek Presidential Guard to mark this significant anniversary. The Hellenic Club is very grateful to the President of Greece for giving special permission for the guards to travel to Australia for the first time in order to take part in this event. We hope that the Evzones’ visit will encourage the Greek Australian Hellenes and wider community to attend the commemorative service and observe the anniversary.'

Hellenic Club Commemorates Anzacs in Wreath Laying Ceremony

The Hellenic Club will join in a wreath laying ceremony at the Martin place Cenotaph as part of the 75th Anniversary for the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign at 2pm on Saturday 16th April.

In 1941, 17,000 Australians served in Greece and Crete under the Anzac banner, many of whom had fought in Gallipoli a few decades earlier. Of these thousands of men, 646 lie buried in Greece, and more than half of these Anzacs remained unidentified and missing.

In announcing the formation of the new Anzac Corps, General Thomas Blamey said in 1941 "the task ahead though difficult is not nearly so desperate as that which our fathers faced in April twenty-six years ago. We go to it together with stout hearts and certainty of success."

The commemoration this year of the 75th anniversary for the second Anzac Campaign will draw attention to the Battles of Greece and Crete, which has been identified by the Australian Government as one of the significant anniversaries to be commemorated during the Anzac Centenary period of 2014-2018.

A special 75th Anniversary Batle of Crete and the Greek Campaign edition of the Greek Australian Alliance can be downloaded here.

Vote for Alpha to win The People's Award

Alpha has been nominated for Australia's Top Restaurants The People's Award, and they need your support!

Vote for Alpha and go in the draw to win an ultimate dining experience including flights, accommodation and dinner for two at one of Australia's Top 500 Restaurants.

Alpha Restaurant Listed in AFR's Top 500

We are very proud to advise that Alpha Restaurant is listed in the 2016 Top 500 list of The Australian Financial Review Australia's Top Restaurants, presented by Qantas. Wish us luck as the industry votes for the Top 100 Restaurants to be announced May 2.

Mary Coustas Headlines New Effie Stage Show

Celebrated Greek-Australian actress Mary Coustas is headlining her new stage show Effie - The Virgin Bride, a live comedy extravaganza with music and dancing as Australia's favourite Greek searches for a husband.

The Hellenic Club Annual Report 2015

The Hellenic Club Raises $60,000 for Our Lady Pisidiotissas Alaya

Gathering at the Hellenic Restaurant, Hellenic Club members enjoyed a successful evening fundraiser for The Church of Our Lady Pisidiotissas Alaya.

With the blessing of His Eminence Archibishop Stylianos of Australia, guests raised close to $60,000 for the project.

The church will be built in honour of Our Lady of Pisidiotissas, whose sacred image performed many miracles from the 6th century until present.

The fundraiser came about after the Mayor of Alanya, Greece, authorised the construction of an Orthodox Christian church to be built in Asia Minor, the first Orthodox church to be built in the region after the expulsion of the Greeks in 1922.

The opening of the new churuch is set to be inaugerated by His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Our Vartholomaios on November 15, 2015.

UTS Hellenic Society partners with The Hellenic Club

Celebrating their partnership which supports Greek culture and Greek-Australian youths in Sydney, UTS Hellenic Society and The Hellenic Club Sydney members gathered on September 10 to mix and mingle over cheese and wine.

Hosted on level 5 of Hellenic House, the event saw a great turnout from both clubs, with plenty of good food and questionable dancing for entertainment.

Held on Monday May 11, the inaugural Speaker Series event honoured Ange and his outstanding achievements. MCs and reporters David Zdrilic and Lucy Zelic from SBS talked to Ange, a Greek-born Australian, about his incredible journey as Australia's most prominenet and successful club coach.

Hellenic Club to Host Greek Presidential Guard to Commemorate ANZAC Day

23 Apr 2018

Released by special permission of the President of Greece, 12 Evzones will pay tribute to the ANZACS and reflect on their nation's involvement in the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign.

The general public are invited to pay their respects and witness the Evzones at the following events:

• Dawn service at Bondi Beach at 6:00am on Wednesday 25 April

• Dawn service at Campsie RSL at 6:15am on Wednesday 25 April

• Anzac Day march in the Sydney CBD at 12:00pm on Wednesday 25 April

• Guard of Honour at Martin Place Cenotaph at 12:00pm on Friday 27 April and 1:00pm on Saturday 28 April

• Anzac Day march from North Bondi RSL to Bondi Pavilion at 2:00pm on Sunday 29 April

The Hellenic Club will also host the ANZACS of Greece invite-only annual luncheon at its spectacular CBD event space, Beta Bar and Gallery Sydney on Tuesday 24 April.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Greek Australians to honour the ANZACS and for all Australians to discover more on the historical significance of the ANZACS in Greece,” Arthur Balayannis, CEO of the Hellenic Club said.

“The Evzones have made a tremendous impact with their participation in ANZAC Day events around Sydney over the last two years, and we look forward to hosting them in Sydney for the third consecutive year.”

The visit comes under the auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney, and is proudly supported by the Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete and The Greek Campaign, the Australasian Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), and other benefactors.

The Hellenic Club brings the Greek Presidential Guard to Sydney

Released by special permission of the President of Greece, the Evzones will visit Adelaide and Sydney to take part in the official ANZAC Day ceremonies, celebrating the role of the soldiers of Greece and Crete, often known as the ‘forgotten ANZACs’.

The Evzones will join the Allied Forces for Sydney's Anzac Day March, and form a Guard of Honour at the Martin Place Cenotaph from 1-2pm on April 28 and 29.

The Evzones’ arrival in Sydney on April 24 will follow a historic four-day visit to Adelaide, organised by the Foundation for Hellenic Studies and supported by the South Australian Government. Official events in Adelaide will include a march to the city’s War Memorial and a pre-game flag-raising ceremony at Adelaide Oval for the AFL Anzac Day round between Port Adelaide and Carlton.

The defense of Greece by the ANZACs and other Commonwealth forces is recognised by historians as one of the major contributions to the Second World War, significantly delaying the Nazis’ invasion of Russia.

For the final programme of the Evzones' visit to Sydney, see below.

The Hellenic Club honours Greek-Australian NRL greats

24 Mar 2017

Hosted at the Club's newly-established Beta Bar & Gallery, above the acclaimed Alpha Restaurant, the Club celebrated the achievements of NRL leaders Nick Politis AM, Chairman of the Sydney Roosters, DrGeorge Peponis OAM, former Australian captain and Chairman of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and Nick Pappas AM, Chairman of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Respected former player and NRL identity, Phil Gould AM chatted with the guests of honour about their successes in the NRL, while guests dined on a menu prepared by Alpha’s renowned Executive Chef, Peter Conistis, and a selection of Greek wines.

Net proceeds from all ticket sales were donated to The Hellenic Initiative, a global not-for-profit organisation that works to assist Greece through crisis relief, entrepeneurship and economic development.

Beta Launches On Level One Above Alpha

28 Jun 2016

Beta, a bar and gallery, will boast a menu of authentic Greek dishes with an added dash of Peter Conistis' signature flair, while the drinks menu will feature inventive Greek twists on classic cocktails.

Drawing on the elegant Victorian architecture of 238 Castlereagh Street, the bar will create a modern installation within the classic space with raw and natural interiors complemented with contemporary furniture and design.

Evzones Presidential Guard Visit Highlights

28 Apr 2016

Visiting Australia from April 16 to April 27, the Evzones commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Crete with appearances at key memorials and landmarks across Sydney.

Commencing with a visit to ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park on the 16th, the Evzones participated in a wreath laying ceremony at Martin Place Cenotaph in the presence of the Governor of New South Wales and representatives from the Australian armed forces and Greek community organisations.

On April 17, they visited the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Redfern followed by a demonstration at St Basil's Homes in Lakemba on April 18. A visit to the Estia Foundation in Gladesville on April 19 was proceeded by an open forum discussion in Greek on current challenges for Greece in South East Europe alongside Hellenic Club members at the Hellenic Club Sydney. On April 24 the Evzones visited All Saints Belmore church.

The guards participated in the ANZAC Day march with the Greek RSL Sub-Branch, including a wreath laying ceremony at Martin Place Cenotaph.

Sydneysiders were also able to observe the Evzones perfmorming a changing of the guard ceremony from April 20-22.

On their final day in Sydney, the Evzones delighted local school children with their attendance at Sans Souci, Bexley and Earlwood public schools.

For press coverage of the Evzones visit, see our Press page.

UPDATE: Greek Presidential Guard visit Sydney

Six soldiers of the Greek Presidential Guard are visiting Sydney for the first time to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete. As part of the visit, the 'Evzones' will take part in a ceremony at the Martin Place Cenotaph on the 20th, 21st and 22nd April.

The Hellenic Club will host six soldiers of the Greek Presidential Guard in Sydney for the first time to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete. The ‘Evzones’ guards will arrive in Sydney on the 14th April in order to take part in an official Battle of Crete ceremony on the 16th April at the Martin Place Cenotaph. They will also take part in the traditional ANZAC Day parade on the 25th April.

The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, one of the key conflicts of the Second World War, has been chosen by the Australian Government as one of the significant anniversaries to be commemorated during the ANZAC centenary period.

Graham Athaunaseris, Chairman of the Cultural Committee of the Hellenic Club, says: ‘ We are thrilled to host the representatives of the Greek Presidential Guard to mark this significant anniversary. The Hellenic Club is very grateful to the President of Greece for giving special permission for the guards to travel to Australia for the first time in order to take part in this event. We hope that the Evzones’ visit will encourage the Greek Australian Hellenes and wider community to attend the commemorative service and observe the anniversary.'

Hellenic Club Commemorates Anzacs in Wreath Laying Ceremony

16 Apr 2016

The Hellenic Club will join in a wreath laying ceremony at the Martin place Cenotaph as part of the 75th Anniversary for the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign at 2pm on Saturday 16th April.

In 1941, 17,000 Australians served in Greece and Crete under the Anzac banner, many of whom had fought in Gallipoli a few decades earlier. Of these thousands of men, 646 lie buried in Greece, and more than half of these Anzacs remained unidentified and missing.

In announcing the formation of the new Anzac Corps, General Thomas Blamey said in 1941 "the task ahead though difficult is not nearly so desperate as that which our fathers faced in April twenty-six years ago. We go to it together with stout hearts and certainty of success."

The commemoration this year of the 75th anniversary for the second Anzac Campaign will draw attention to the Battles of Greece and Crete, which has been identified by the Australian Government as one of the significant anniversaries to be commemorated during the Anzac Centenary period of 2014-2018.

A special 75th Anniversary Batle of Crete and the Greek Campaign edition of the Greek Australian Alliance can be downloaded here.

Vote for Alpha to win The People's Award

17 Mar 2016

Alpha has been nominated for Australia's Top Restaurants The People's Award, and they need your support!

Vote for Alpha and go in the draw to win an ultimate dining experience including flights, accommodation and dinner for two at one of Australia's Top 500 Restaurants.

Alpha Restaurant Listed in AFR's Top 500

05 Feb 2016

We are very proud to advise that Alpha Restaurant is listed in the 2016 Top 500 list of The Australian Financial Review Australia's Top Restaurants, presented by Qantas. Wish us luck as the industry votes for the Top 100 Restaurants to be announced May 2.

Mary Coustas Headlines New Effie Stage Show

18 Mar 2016

Celebrated Greek-Australian actress Mary Coustas is headlining her new stage show Effie - The Virgin Bride, a live comedy extravaganza with music and dancing as Australia's favourite Greek searches for a husband.

The Hellenic Club Annual Report 2015

The Hellenic Club Raises $60,000 for Our Lady Pisidiotissas Alaya

Gathering at the Hellenic Restaurant, Hellenic Club members enjoyed a successful evening fundraiser for The Church of Our Lady Pisidiotissas Alaya.

With the blessing of His Eminence Archibishop Stylianos of Australia, guests raised close to $60,000 for the project.

The church will be built in honour of Our Lady of Pisidiotissas, whose sacred image performed many miracles from the 6th century until present.

The fundraiser came about after the Mayor of Alanya, Greece, authorised the construction of an Orthodox Christian church to be built in Asia Minor, the first Orthodox church to be built in the region after the expulsion of the Greeks in 1922.

The opening of the new churuch is set to be inaugerated by His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Our Vartholomaios on November 15, 2015.

UTS Hellenic Society partners with The Hellenic Club

10 Sep 2015

Celebrating their partnership which supports Greek culture and Greek-Australian youths in Sydney, UTS Hellenic Society and The Hellenic Club Sydney members gathered on September 10 to mix and mingle over cheese and wine.

Hosted on level 5 of Hellenic House, the event saw a great turnout from both clubs, with plenty of good food and questionable dancing for entertainment.

Held on Monday May 11, the inaugural Speaker Series event honoured Ange and his outstanding achievements. MCs and reporters David Zdrilic and Lucy Zelic from SBS talked to Ange, a Greek-born Australian, about his incredible journey as Australia's most prominenet and successful club coach.